Mining machine



Dec. 31, 1929. "c. R. HUGHES MINING MACHINE Filed Dec. 23. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 31, 1929. 1,741,714

C. R. HUGHES MINING MACHINE Filed Dec. 25. 1927 5' Sheets-Sheet 2 d/zafllcsRH hes.

Dec. 31, 1929. c. R. HUGHES MINING mcrimg Filed Dec. 23, 1927 3 Sheets$heet 5 mam Patented Dec. 31, 1929 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES R. HUGHES, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA MINING MACHINE Application filed December 23, 1927. Serial No. 242,091. g

This invention relates to a mining machine and is designed primarily for cutting away or slabbing the mine wall, said machine being so constructed that, when advanced along the wall it will not only cut away a section or slab of the wall from the adjacent deposit but will also wedge back of the cut section or slab and force it laterally in a broken condition to a point where it can be handled read- 0 ily for removal from the mine.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character which is very compact and durable in construction and can be lowered readily into a mine and properly positioned without requiring any assembly of the parts thereof in the mine.

Another object is to provide efficient means for feeding the machine into the wall during the cutting operation and for maintaining the machine in the proper course during said operation. v

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, the pre ferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a section on line 8-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 1, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the front end of the machine. I

Figure 6 is a section on line 66, Figure 1.

r igure 7 1s a section on line (7, Flgure 1.

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the double gear forming a part of the drive mechanism. v

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the rear portion of the frame of the machine from which are eX- tended upper and lower frames 2 and 8 projecting forwardly and each including a channeled guide rail 1 forming the marginal portion of the frame, each frame being preferably reinforced by suitable braces 5 connect in the side portions.

' lfovably mounted within the channeled rail of the lower frame 3 is an endless chain 6 carrying any preferred arrangement of picks 7 adapted to cut into the surface against which the machine is forced, thereby producing a sufficient clearance'to allow the lower frame to enter the cut. Another similar chain 8 is supported within the channeled rail 4 of the upper frame 2 and this chain is likewise provided with picks 9 so disposed as to cut a channel into the surface against which the machine is forced, the said channel being sufficiently large to receive the frame 2 as the machine advances. For the purpose of reinforcing the frames and holding them properly spaced apart, a connecting bar 10 is attached to said frames at one side of the machine where it will be out of the way of the slab or section of wall being removed by the machine. l/Vhere narrower slabs or wall sections are being removed a supplemental con- 'nection in the form of a rod 11 can be atand another sprocket 16 is secured to the upper end of the shaft for engagement by the upper chain 8. Thus it will be seen that when the shaft 14 is rotated both chains 6 and 8 will be actuated simultaneously, the two chains occupying parallel planes.

Each of the rails 4 has its front or advancing portion extended preferably at right angles to one side portion, the said side portions of the two rails being located at that side of the machine adapted to enter the cuts produced by the chains. Located between said side portions is a channeled guide real 1'? providing a continuous track 1n whlch 1s been clearly illustrated-in Figures 2,

mounted an endless chain 18 having picks 19 extending therefrom These picks are so disposed as to cut into that portion of the mine wall in the path thereof, the said cut being of such size as to allow the rail 17 to enter. Chain 18 works in a plane substantially perpendicular to the planes in which the chains 6 and Stravcl and, as shown particularly in Figures and 6, the said chain 18 will cut close to the chains 6 and 8.

The rear portion of chain 18 engages a sprocket 20 secured to shaft 21 journaled in suitable bearings 22 carried by the frame 1. A train of gears 23, 23 is utilized for transmitting motion to the shaft 21 from a shaft 24 join-naled in. bearings 25 carried by. the frame 1 and this shaft 24 has a beveled gear 26..

Mounted on the shaft14 soas to rotate ,tlierewith are integral concentric beveled 'be seen that during the actuation of gear 29 by the motor, the gears 27 and 28 will be operated to simultaneously rotate shaft 14 and drive the shaft21 through the power connection provided therefor. Obviously, therefore, all of the chains willibe drix' en simultaneously.

The bottomframe 3 may be supported adj scent its front end by small-skids or runners 32'tand connecting the frames 2-and 3 adjacent the center of these sides nearest the guide rail-17 i a wedging barv 33 located out of'the-path of the projecting points of the picks 19 on chain18. Extending forwardly fromthis'bar is'a wedging block 34 secured to the adjacent side of the-track formed by guide rail 1'? and extending only from the bottom tothetop of said track. This block is rivetedor otherwise fastened to thebar 33 andzthe relative positions of the parts have 3, and 4.

The bottom frame 3 supports a pan 35 which is supported by the braces 5 withinsaid lower frameiand isfiush with the top surface of'the cut produced by pick 7 as hereinafter explained. This pan extends the widthand length of the frame 3 and located adj ace-nt' the back edge of the pan is an upstanding deflecting, plate 36 the forward edge of which is secured against the back edge of the bar 33 and extends through the height of aid bar.

Deflecting plate 36 is extendedlaterally and rearwardly to form an obliquely disposed wall constituting substantially a continuation of'ene side of the wedging bar 33.- This wall extends laterally beyond the rearportions of the frames 2 and 3 and the outer projecting portionmay be suitably bracedas indicated at37.

Theshaft 30 of the motor may be extended rearwardly and is provided with a Worm 38 meshing with a Worm gear 39. This gear is secured to a transverse shaft 40 journaled in suitable bearings 41 extending from the frame 1. A gear 42 is secured to one end of shaft 40 and meshes With an internal gear 43 carried by a drum 44. This drum is ournaled 011 a stub shaft 45 extending, laterally from the frame 1. A cable 46 issecured to the drum and is adapted to be wound thereon, there being an arrangement of guide sheaves 47 and"LS-suitablysupported at one side of the machine for holding the cable 46 where it can be extended parallel with but beyond one side of. the machine as shown-particularly in Figure 1.

A supporting skid or runner 49 of any desired construction can be arranged beneath the main frame 1 and a laterally extended runner or skid 50 can be extended from the cutting side of the'machine.

The machine constituting the present invention is adapted to be used for slicing off the side Wall of a corridor orother passage previously cut. The machine is firs-tlocated in the heading at one end of the passage so: that that side thereof remote from the side cutting chain 18 will project outwardly beyond the wall of the passage. Thus when-the machine is advanced into the wall, saidwall will not obstruct the advancing movement of. the connecting bar 10 or the rod 11,,ifused. As heretofore explained the rod 11 is only to be employed when the thickness of the slab to be cut is considerably less than the distance between the chain 18 and the bar 10.

After the machine has been located as described the cable 46 is unwound from the drum 44.andextended longitudinally of the passage to-a point well in advance of the machine where the cableis suitably anchoredi When themachine is set in motion the worm gearing will feed it forward slowly andduring this feeding'operation all of the cutting chains will be actuated to produce superposed substantially horizontal cuts anda side out. The continued forwardmovement. will result in the block 34 Wedging into the vertical cut and this wedging action will be-grad ually increased as the bar 33 enters the cut followed by the obliquely disposed deflectingplate 36. Consequently as the slab is thus cut away from the wall, the Wedging and deflecting members will force-it laterally until it is ultimately broken up and deposited on the pan 35. Thereafter further forWard'move-- ment of the machinewill'cause the plate 36 to crowd the broken material'laterally off-of the paninto the passageat the side'of the machine where the material can bereached read,- ily and removed by any means providedfor that: purpose. The slow winding of the cable on the drum-insures a forward feed of the machine at a desired speed and by arranging the sheave 48 as shown for example in Figure 1 there will be a thrust exerted by. thisca-ble against the sheave which tends to press the advancing end of the machine laterally to maintain it in its proper course during the cutting operation with bar 10 or rod 11 pressed against the exposed side of the slab being cut.

It is to be understood of course that under some conditions one of the horizontal cutting chains can be eliminated, this being particularly true if the coal is of a moderately soft grade with its grain inclined at a pronounced angle so that very little effort will be required to dislodge it after one horizontal and one vertical out has been made thereinto.

The operation of the chains and of the feeding mechanism can be controlled by any de sired arrangement of clutches but as such an arrangement is obvious it has not been deemed necessary to show or describe the same.

For the purpose of preventing the machine from amming While in operation, a block 51 can be located between the outer side of the guide rail 17 and the adjacent face of the coal.

What is claimed is:

1. A mining machine including a cutting chain for producing a substantially vertical cut in a wall in the path thereof, a track for said chain movable into the cut, superposed chains for producing cuts in said Wall communicating with and extended at an angle to the vertical cut, superposed tracks for guiding said superposed chains and entering the cuts produced thereby, a wedging element connecting the superposed tracks and the first named track for entering the vertical cut and dislodging material between the vertical and superposed cuts, and laterally adjustable means for rigidly connecting the superposed tracks at a point remote from the vertical cut.

2. In a mining machine the combination with a frame structure, of angularly disposed cutting chains, a feed cable, a take-up connection between said cable and the frame for advancing the machine against a wall to be cut,

1? means on the frame cooperating with the cable while the machine is advancing, for exerting a lateral pressure against the machine, and a runner carried by the frame for sliding engagement with the adjacent wall, thereby to limit the lateral movement of the machine due to the action of the cable.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

CHARLES R. HUGHES. 

